A Visit From St Tracy?
by TB's LMC
Summary: My take on a "Thunderbirds" rendition of "A Visit From St. Nicholas" by Clement Clarke Moore. Posted a day late thanks to unforeseeable circumstances!


**A VISIT FROM ST. ER…TRACY?**

_(With apologies to Clement Clarke Moor)_

* * *

><p>'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house<p>

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

Us children were nestled all snug in our beds;

While visions of bleakness danced in our heads;

And mamma in her 'kerchief, with her hair so red,

Had just fallen asleep alone in her bed,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow,

Gave a luster of midday to objects below,

When what to my wondering eyes did appear,

But a green Thunderbird, yes! I saw it so clear!

With a handsome young pilot, so gorgeous and slick,

I knew there was no _way_ that he was St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles did that 'bird come and land,

And it rose on four struts o'er a huge pod so grand!

"Hello!" said a man as he did disembark,

"I'm here to rescue you all from the dark!"

I couldn't quite fathom just what he did mean,

For we had no need of this big ship so green.

"We're not in such need," I told him, and frowned.

"Perhaps you meant to be elsewhere a-ground?"

"How odd," the man said as he took off his hat,

Scratched his head, and carefully unfolded a map.

"I heard that right here, at this very address,

Was a family whose Christmas was now quite a mess."

As my face fell, I nodded and said,

"Why, yes, sir, that's us, for our father is dead.

He passed in an accident one week ago,

Leaving Mother quite broke and us nowhere to go."

He moved forward, smiling, and held out his hand,

"My name is Virgil," he said…what a man!

So handsome that my teenage dreams came to life

Allowing one moment with no grief or strife.

I took hold his hand, so warm and so strong,

And he pulled it away when I'd held it too long.

"I'm sorry, young lady, that your Christmas is sad,

And I can't bring him back, and I know you feel bad.

But rather than starve and have nothing this year,

I brought with me help and some holiday cheer."

He moved back so I could now see the big pod,

And I heard a sound that…sounded so odd!

As I brushed my long hair away from my face,

A clear "Ho ho ho!" sound, my ears then did grace!

I balked at the meaning, too old to believe,

And too sad; for my father I still did grieve.

"You see," Virgil said, voice soft, kind and low,

"Sometimes even Santa's sleigh, too, needs a tow.

He asked for our help finding people in need

And you, dear Elizabeth, planted the seed.

You see, last Christmas you wrote to us all

At International Rescue, after a call.

We had, at Thanksgiving, saved your mom from a fire,

'How can I ever thank you?' you did inquire.

So when Santa came asking if we all knew

Of people in need, we thought of you.

For we heard of your family's current plight,

And decided that you needed our help this night."

As leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;

Out from the pod, sleigh and reindeer, they flew!

The sleigh full of food, plus St. Nicholas too—

And then, in a twinkling, they were on the roof

Sounds of prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I ran back inside and looked all around,

Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;

A bundle of food he had flung on his back,

There were meat and potatoes and pies in the sack!

His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples, how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath;

He had a broad face and a little round belly

That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

Placing all on our table; then turned with a jerk,

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

I couldn't believe all the things he had left

Unlike what we'd thought, we were not bereft.

There were gifts and a feast unlike any other.

How would I ever explain to my mother?

Then came the sound of a jet engine whine,

So I ran back outside and got there just in time

To see Thunderbird Two lifting off from the ground,

The man named Virgil, nowhere to be found.

"I must go," he said over speakers quite loud,

"Before my presence draws an unwanted crowd.

I hope you have some small happiness now,

It's the least we can do, but you'll never know how.

Tell your brother and sister to be good next year,

And I'll bring them back, Santa and his reindeer!"

I waved and I wished that he didn't have to go,

But his 'bird's rockets melted four holes in the snow

As he rose oh, so high, then suddenly, lights!

Red ones and green ones, blues and bright whites!

I waved and cried, "Thank you, thank you!" with tears

Flying away, that man took with him my fears

'Cause somehow in spite of our terrible loss,

I knew we'd survive, as I stood in the frost

And I heard him exclaim, ere he flew out of sight—

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"


End file.
